Mekong Watch CATFISH TALES
TOPIC: TRAGEDY OF THE LAM TA KHONG PUMP STORAGE DAM:
Date: 17 May 2004
TRAGEDY OF THE LAM TA KHONG PUMP STORAGE DAM:
COMMUNITY LEADER STILL MOURNED
On 5 March 2004, a community leader in Thailand passed away at the age of
48. Ms. Mesani Kasan constantly struggled for justice for those suffering
damage to their health as a result of the construction of the Lam Ta Khong
Pump Storage Dam facilities, and she is deeply mourned.
Mesani herself suffered from health problems after being exposed to massive
amounts of dust pollution coming from construction of the upper reservoir
of the Lam Ta Khong Pump Storage Dam ((see Catfish Tales archive for more
information on the project
<http://www.mekongwatch.org/_archive/catfish/10/13.html>). The dust
pollution came from blasting operations to carve out a reservoir at the top
of a hill. Explosives used for the blasting contained various chemical
substances which are suspected to have contributed to the severity of
damage on people's health. During construction, Mesani's father and nephew
also died due to respiratory problems. Despite her own failing health,
Mesani struggled for her community. In March 2003, she came to Japan and
presented the problems facing her community to various civil society
organizations. She also held meetings with officials from the Japan Bank
for International Cooperation (JBIC), partially responsible for financing
the Lam Ta Khong project. Unfortunately, she had to return to Thailand
without receiving a meaningful or sincere response from JBIC.
After returning to Thailand, Mesani developed cancer and had to stay home
for treatment. A month later, hardly able to sit up in bed, she spoke with
a Mekong Watch staff person who visited her and said, "Please give my
regards to those who know me. If Allah wills it, I will still be
here. But if now, I must go."
Just before her death, Mesani requested that NGO staff visiting her village
to record the health conditions of villagers also take her photo and video
tape her. She said she wanted to record the drastic change in her state of
health from when she was well to her current condition. Her dying wish was
to leave a record of her own suffering that could be used by those who
survive her, so that her death would not be in vain.
When Mekong Watch staff went to pay their last respects to Mesani, we were
guided to her grave by another community leader who had worked with
her. As he stood beside her grave with us, he said, "We have always lived
with suffering. When we staged sit-ins, sometimes we were battered with
rain, and sometimes we had to live on the side of the road. But no matter
how hard things were, she was always there. Today, this is the third time
I have come to her grave, but it is the first time I have been able to
stand here without shedding tears. She must be in a peaceful place
now. From now on, it is up to us who are left to take on the heavy burden
that she carried."
Mekong Watch will also continue to advocate for justice for the communities
affected by the Lam Ta Khong Dam.
[Summary of Project and its related problems]
The Lam Ta Khong Pump Storage Hydropower Plant (in Nakhon Ratchasima
Province) is a 500MW facility (still not fully operational due to technical
complications). The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted
a preliminary study for this dam in 1991, and in 1994, JBIC and the World
Bank jointly financed the project. JBIC provided 18.2 billion yen
(approximately 170 million US dollars), and the World Bank 100 million
dollars for the project, leading to the construction of the upper
reservoir, a tunnel, hydropower station, and other facilities.
During construction of the upper reservoir and tunnel, 2 nearby villages
were rained upon with dust from the construction for 2 years and 7
months. As a result of this dust pollution, not only were the villages'
agriculture and livestock affected, residents of the villages also began
suffering severe health problems. The villagers joined the Assembly of the
Poor, a network of Thai villagers negatively affected by development
projects, and began negotiations with the government. As a result of their
efforts, a committee was formed three years ago to survey the impacts of
the Lam La Khong project. Investigations have been delayed, however,
because the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) refused to
provide a budget for the sub-committees responsible for surveying the
environmental and health impacts. Towards the end of 2003, the
environmental impact survey team began its study. The health survey has
yet to begin, however, because of EGAT has disagreed to the selection of
doctors for the survey. In the meantime, the number of villagers suffering
from lung and bronchial diseases have increased, and many are impoverished
due to the heavy burden of medical bills.
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